Peeler Crab Question??

[stephen]

i know it's a little early to be talking about fishing yet, don't want to get anyone's hopes up but i was talking to someone about surf fishing and he was telling me that there is this type of rubber band kind of material that helps to hold peeler onto a hook alot better, does anyone know anything about this??

[Sam]

It's never too early to talk about fishing!

I've used regular (thin) rubber bands a few times with frozen peelers. I don't know of any special product..

[Spero]

Tackle shops sell elastic thread for holding soft baits on your hook. It comes in a flat pack made by Jeros Tackle called Elastic E-Z Bait Tie Down. Old Inlet has it for $2.19 a pack.

[stephen]

excellent thanks for the replies

[Sam]

Here is a picture...

[big rad]

In Europe they use a hollow needle to tie the bait on. The next step is they put the point of the hook in the hollow portion of the needle and push the bait up onto the hook. I watched the guy doing clams this way. I plan to use part of an old umbrella for the "needle" part.

I would really like to try clams in the early season

[fishingeverynight]

Wow thats a really intresting way to do it. I would like to hear more about your experiences with this later and how well it worked.

[Charkbait]

best method I've found is to go through the body and out the leg socket. If you continue to thread your hook into the leg itself and through the shell of the leg you have essentially LOCKED the peeler on the hook. You need to use relatively thin wired hooks for this like an owner or gami 8/0 circle. Catch a bunch of big drum using this simple method. No need for rubber, thread, or needles if you ask me. Also, same goes for any other bait, you'll pretty much have a bite in the first 10 minutes of a soak if that cast is going to produce. With peeler that window gets even smaller as the juices disperse more quickly than cut bait.

[fishingeverynight]

i usually have problems hooking through the shell and down the leg but i think i have been using too big of hooks...

[Charkbait]

no need to go through the shell, even for giant fish you can fish with 1/4 peelers and in some cases 1/6 or 1/8 but I prefer 1/2 or 1/4. I split the peeler through the centerline of the belly and remove the top shell. Then cut that half in half using the segments of the crab as a guide. You can then thread your hook through the segment into the leg socket, and out the leg shell (which should be soft if it is a true peeler). To fish them live or whole I try and get through the top or bottom shell with a larger hook, still out the socket and will even pull other legs off to put the hook through locking the bait on.

[Charkbait]

oh, and a good knife is key. I find the dexter russell tiger blade to be the best bait knife in the universe...

[fishingeverynight]

Ohhhh I thought you meant using a whole peeler... I see what your saying now

[big rad]

oh, and a good knife is key. I find the dexter russell tiger blade to be the best bait knife in the universe...

I use a pair of kitchen shears when using peelers. They give a better cut than any knife in my opinion. When using peelers I believe that presentation (looks) is everything. With a knife you will need a cutting surface. Try the scissors and you won't look back.